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Archive for November, 2009
Friday, November 6th, 2009
One of the first places I went paddling when I got my first kayak is to the underwater forest in Lake Sammamish, Washington. Lake Sammamish is on the east side of Lake Washington, across from Seattle. The underwater forest is a bunch of old growth trees that somehow ended up in the lake, still standing. The accepted theory is that there was at least one landslide over 1,000 years ago that brought the trees into the lake. Some think there were two landslides, since there are two distinct groups of trees. Who knows.
 Lake Sammamish, WA The trees are mostly under the water. As a kayaker, you can still see the tops of the trees sticking out of the water. There were fewer than I expected, but they were there. Mostly, they are just upright trunks. Next time it might be good to bring some snorkeling gear. I bet there is a lot going on under the surface.
I launched from Lake Sammamish State Park, and I recall there was a fee for parking. The paddle was not too long, pleasant, and otherwise uneventful. I wasn’t able to verify it online, but based on my past recollection, I believe the underwater forest is here: 47.574053,-122.092624
Vasa Park is another possible launch site.
Posted in Kayaking Trips, Lake Kayaking | 2 Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
I got some tips in the last few days about sales at NRS and Moosejaw. Moosejaw in particular released a bunch of exclusive coupon codes, which will definitely possibly be useful to YOU. Or possibly YOU (yes, you).
NRS is having a clearance sale, ending November 15.
You can get free shipping on an Arc’teryx jacket from Moosejaw. I always thought Arc’teryx jackets were very nice, but pricey. “Arcteryx Jackets over $149″ might as well be “Any Arcteryx Jacket”. But they look really nice. I have no idea how well they perform, having never worn one outside the store. I wouldn’t pay extra for looks, since seals don’t seem to care if your clothes are in style. Also, the missing middle of the fossil bird-dinosaur’s name used to really bug me. ARCHAEOPTERYX. I’m sure they’re really warm and stuff. Who knows?
Technorati Tags: NRS, Moosejaw, sale, kayaking gear, outdoors gear, Arc’teryx, coupon, coupon code, promo code
Posted in Sales and Coupons | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
 TRAK folding kayaks http://www.rethinkkayak.com/
I think I remember seeing this folding kayak when it first came out, but didn’t remember until today when I saw the website again. What sets it apart from all other kayaks (that’s right, ALL OF THEM) is the fact that you can adjust the shape of the kayak’s hull (including the rocker and curve of the long axis) while you are in the kayak. That’s right, WHILE YOU ARE IN THE KAYAK. Looks like there might be some other features too, possibly.
However, I think the claim that the TRAK T-1600 is “The world’s first truly urban kayak” is a little perplexing. What is an “urban kayak” anyway? Apparently, “urban kayak” is a kayak having a hull shape that is adjustable while you are in the kayak. I didn’t see pricing on the website, but I’m guessing it costs something like, oh let’s say… $3,399.00.
Technorati Tags: TRAK, kayaks, kayaking, folding kayak, portable kayak, TRAK kayak
Posted in Folding Kayaks, Kayaks | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Let’s say you want to go FAST. There are a lot of factors affecting how fast you can go in a kayak. If speed is important to you, you will probably want to consider these factors when you are buying a kayak.
Waterline Length
The waterline length of a kayak is not the same as its actual tip-to-tip length. Instead, the waterline length is the length of the portion of the kayak that sits in the water. Thus, it depends on the displacement of the kayak’s hull. Kayak specifications often don’t include the waterline length, but it is roughly correlated to the actual length. If you are shopping for a fast kayak, a longer waterline length translates to a higher top speed. However, a longer waterline length also means that more of the kayak’s hull is in contact with the water. Because of the additional friction from this surface contact, you will have to paddle harder to get closer to that top speed.
Weight
When shopping for a kayak, you may often see weights listed. A kayak that weighs less has several advantages – it is easier to carry to your launch site, and easier to get onto your roof rack. If you are interested in kayak speed, a lighter kayak is easier to accelerate. But before you simply look for the lightest kayak available, keep in mind that lighter materials are typically either more expensive or less durable. Fiberglass kayaks, for example, are lighter than plastic kayaks, but they are also more expensive.
Beam
The beam of a boat is its width at the widest point. For a kayak, this is typically near the cockpit, or a little to the rear of the cockpit. A kayak with a narrow beam is easier to accelerate than a comparable one with a wide beam. The trade-off here is stability. Narrower kayaks are also easier to roll. That includes intentional completed rolls and unintentional half-rolls (which some might refer to as a “capsize”).
In short, just remember that longer, lighter, and narrower kayaks are generally faster. And if you still want to go fast, just be prepared to accept the trade-offs.
Technorati Tags: kayaks, kayak, kayaking, kayak design, hull speed, kayak speed, waterline length, beam, kayak weight, fiberglass kayak, plastic kayak
Posted in Folding Kayaks, Inflatable Kayaks, Kayaks, Ocean Kayak, Plastic Kayaks, Used Kayaks, Wooden Kayaks | No Comments »
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
OK, maybe that statement was a little harsh. OR maybe it is COMPLETELY ACCURATE. It might just be a personal preference, but I don’t see why anyone would buy an opaque dry bag when clear ones are available. The clear dry bags work just as well (as far as I can tell) for keeping out water, and most importantly, you can see what is inside without having to open the bag and rummage around in it.
Here are the steps for taking something out of a clear dry bag:
- Look at the dry bag and verify that what you want is in fact in this particular dry bag. Note that you are only able to do this because it is CLEAR.
- Open the dry bag.
- Take out the item. By the way, you already know where in the dry bag it is since you located it in step 1.
- Rejoice.
Here are the steps for taking something out of an opaque dry bag:
- Pick a dry bag that you think contains the item you want.
- Open the dry bag.
- Stick your hand in the dry bag and rummage around in it, looking for your item.
- Repeat steps 1-4 when you fail to find the item you’re looking for.
- Miss seeing the humpback whale that just breached not far away (that everyone else in your group saw) because you were too busy looking for whatever-the-hell you were looking for, which you don’t remember because you are so pissed at having missed the whale.
- Curse yourself for having not taken this stupid blog post more seriously.
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I don’t have any dry bags that are opaque, except the ones that were unmercifully thrust upon me. Do opaque dry bags have some special magic that I’m not aware of? Do they turn seawater into hot chicken noodle soup if you dance around them and chant? Someone clue me in…
Technorati Tags: dry bags, drybags, clear dry bags, opaque dry bags, kayaks, kayaking, kayaking gear
Posted in Kayaking Equipment, Kayaking Gear | No Comments »
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
This video has been around for a while, but I think it’s really interesting for anyone who is into kayaking. I know how fiberglass and wooden kayaks are made, too, but it’s different to see videos of them actually being made. Particularly videos as well-produced as this one.
Technorati Tags: plastic kayak, kayaking, kayak manufacturing, rotomolding, rotomold, kayak building
Posted in Kayaks, Ocean Kayak, Plastic Kayaks | No Comments »
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